if you're talking about understanding components of a layer, you should consider the type of sound as it purpose for existing.

Understanding the frequency content of the sound should help you get to a place where you want to be. coupling that with control from an EQ, ie a low cut and high cut, you can then begin to shape the layers into one cohesive sound.

It's easier to take a sound that's naturally occurring in a range and editing it from there, than to take something that's not with in that range and altering at the range it doesn't occur at naturally.

https://help.ableton.com/hc/en-us/articles/209772465-How-can-I-use-and-maintain-my-32-bit-VST-plug-ins-with-the-64-bit-version-of-Live-using-jBridge-on-Windows-

see if that is the trick.


you're using FL, but the concept of using the right bit version is key here.

Of course it has helped me but that's not the point. The point is will it help on the application for getting accepted into the program.

you won't know that until you get an answer. plus they're asking for it extra curricular activities, so put it down if you want to. or don't put it down if you don't want to.

There are some knowledgable guys on here and I would like your input on something related to university applications. I plan to apply to computer science / software engineering. On the application, they allow you to submit a letter describing any extracurriculars or out of school activities that you have done that may relate to that field that may improve chances of admission of the application.

My question is, would putting music production on there be beneficial? Basically I have put in some time (2-3 years) on music production focusing mixing, music theory, arrangement, sound design etc through deliberate self learning of various topics related to music production. I also have a couple of tracks that are over 80% done close to a professional standard that I may also be comfortable sharing in the future. I didn't take any short cuts and have learned everything through hard work, research, and trial and error. I am 100% confident I can explain how to put a track together from start to finish, how all elements of a track are made, how structure it all together, and how to mix it all together to make it some coherent.

Having said that, there's the whole "everybody wants to be a DJ" thing, and a lot of people are getting into music production and most people who say their tracks are fire don't really know what they are talking about. Finally, some people may not appreciate music production and find music production to be a rather boring, useless topic.

Is music production something that I can put on my letter for computer science/software engineering? From my POV music production relates to computer science and software engineering, but then it can also be said that music production is about making music, not building software, and music production is more about using the software.

Can any of you guys shed some input?

Yes.


There's physicist who work at CERN that can play classical piano.


Initially, it's probably a good idea to put on a resume. But until you get more work experience and have logged time elsewhere, with updated resume, it's not a bad idea to let them know who you are.

Besides, if they allow you to talk about any thing extracurricular, that's a green light.

Unless you're secretly not a music producer, but that's more of an introspective question lol.


regardless, anything musical is still a creative outlet. and how deep down you let your creativity show, will also be a look into how you might solve problems.


Music has been a huge boon to my mechanical engineering studies.


art and STEM should go hand in hand, but more often than not, either side doesn't seem to even blink in approval about the other....it's a little disappointing.


EDIT: i'd go talk to some one who is more knowledgeable about what is appropriate for that sort of concept. i am just going of what my pop has told me when it comes to resumes, interviews, and personal experience.

That's a noteworthy advice, I've kinda grown used to just enveloping and filtering the sound directly in the plugin and doing everything else in the mixer, and never noticed how bad it is. Thanks for the help.

it's not bad to have a synth go straight into plugins, but you just get a much more rich effect if you run things through busses, or have a way to buss things inside of that one instance of a channel (ie combinator, most definitely because i can use as many mixer boards as i want; and i think rack extensions can get you there as well, but not as versed; and image line patcher can do the same effect as the combinator, but it's a bit more graphical------you should also know your signal chain really well too)


Music production came out of the world of technology, science, and inventors. So to neglect the technological understanding and processes of systems really hinders your entire pictures as a sound engineering in modern EDM production.




making computer music is a great art form, but it comes with a heavy balance of technicality of the machine itself, software, and hard ware as well as creativity of the music and use of tools.....


consider all the different angles, write them down, and start plucking away at it. the history of recording also helped me in sound design as well.

Yeah. If by reference you means what kind of sound design I want to improve, I really want to learn how to make good pads, leads and vocals. I know that those come off as easy to some people, but I noticed a lot of my favorite song rely fully on these thre elements, and frankly, I'm not good at any.

Here's some consideration on how i craft sounds:


the problem with sound design and the under lining context behind it, is not so much on the sound coming out of the synthesizer, but what sort and how you place effects on the synth or sound source for that matter.

What i think you should consider, is the process in which you apply effects to ANY given sound. this idea gives rise to how you're layering your mix with effects and controlling a particular element on an individual and group basis (either grouping to make one sound, or grouping of different individual sounds).

depending on your DAW, as it will vary in order to have more modular control over your signal chain, you can do some pretty cool stuff before you actually start hitting the main mixer channel buss effects (sends returns, aux, busses).


And that last statement is where i think a lot of where the magic happens in sound design.




Quite honestly, i was having the hardest time making stuff in general, until i realized a more technical approach with buss effects from the big perspective, and eventually applied it to a smaller scale towards my individual sounds.

most noteworthy are the DAWS ableton and reason. They have two particular components that add to the modular approach of this idea; effects rack and combinator, for the respective DAWS.

Another plugin, that is available for PC only i think, is the imagine line patcher.

The only other option is to understand signal processing and using the shit out of busses (lydian on the forum uses logic, and i've seen the amount of channels he has for buss effects).

all that being said, you can sculpt quite a bit of sound by using buss effects and layering in effects towards an already established "pad synthesizer sound". Because, you should at least know what makes up the padded sound in terms of programming the envelop. And that's really the only distinction that causes a pad to be a pad.

Long attack slow release, and w/e the hell else in the middle you want.

The creative use of buss effects will help you get more variation to the signal source as well as provide more to the overall sound.



at the end of it, you should have a pretty efficient sound in terms of organization and actual source material.



TL;DR

envelop programming=pad synth

layer buss effects that contribute towards that one pad synth, or sound source, to get a richer individual sound.

send that entire sound to a mixer buss and get ready to drop the bass.

be organized and get creative with your signal chain, and sound source processing.



EDIT: i know i excluded oscillators, but w/e, that's still a signal source you will have to come to terms with on your own, as it's a taste.

i am kind of interested to hear before/after....


but that's just me.